UFC 178: Conor McGregor wins his Las Vegas debut to underline his potential
Demetrious Johnson retains his title in the main event
Sunday 28 September 2014 16:38, UK
Conor McGregor’s Las Vegas debut was a spectacular success as he taunted, out-struck and knocked out Dustin Poirier inside two minutes.
Doubt whether McGregor’s brash proclamations about his own potential mirrored his actual ability were silenced when the Irishman walked through the challenge of Poirier, making easy work of the fifth-ranked featherweight at UFC 178.
The night was headlined by Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson submitting Chris Cariaso to defend his flyweight championship but McGregor’s vociferous travelling support made him the impromptu main-event.
The Irish fans were reminiscent of boxer Ricky Hatton’s troops that descended upon Vegas when he fought Floyd Mayweather.
McGregor opened his fight with a plethora of wild kicks that kept Poirier at bay but it was his hand combinations that earned the win. Verbally mocking his opponent, a shot behind Poirier’s ear wobbled him and McGregor finished the job on the ground after a minute and 46 seconds.
Drama and controversy
While the sublime champion Johnson retained his championship in the expected fashion with a second-round kimura, UFC 178 threw up drama elsewhere.
Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone edged Eddie Alvarez in a punishing fight with both combatants feeling the effects. Alvarez, the UFC debutant, landed the first big strikes in the clinch but Cerrone persevered largely through the use of his more diverse striking.
Leg kicks bruised and numbed Alvarez to the extent where he was knocked down in the third round, by which point Cerrone’s decision win was conclusive.
Olympic silver medallist Yoel Romero also decisively won, but not without controversy.
After two dominant rounds Romero was saved by the bell after being hurt by Tim Kennedy’s uppercuts. Romero then spent extra time on his stool to recuperate before knocking Kennedy out in the following round – it led to a heated exchange between the two backstage.
Dominick Cruz and Cat Zingano also made emotional winning returns to the Octagon. After three years out injured, Cruz (who was stripped of his bantamweight title) took just a minute to stop Takeya Mizugaki before Zingano rebounded from the loss of her husband to stop Amanda Nunes.
McGregor, though, provided the most enduring image of the night with his brilliant showing.
